Immortal Travel of Longevity

Jiangnan was forever glorious, yet forever falling into ruin.

It flourished in times of peace and fell during times of war.

In the past, a single dance from a Jiangnan beauty could draw a thousand cheers. The streets bustled with extraordinary activity, and poetry and song gave passersby reason to linger. Vendors and pedestrians thronged both sides of the road amid bright lanterns and brilliant garments—an endless, sleepless night.

Yet amid the absurd chaos of this troubled era, there was now only a dead silence. Broken walls, empty alleys, and shattered houses remained; everything had been destroyed in a flash.

A small boat drifted down the river; the cloaked woman aboard poled the Bamboo Raft. She had witnessed this place at the height of its prosperity, and now she witnessed its desolation.

The world was always like this. The old would inevitably fall to ruin, and after the passage of time, new scenery would emerge.

Xianle exhaled and took off her conical straw hat.

A few raindrops drifted down, yet they could not touch her.

She wondered when she had last been here.

Regardless, it had still been a prosperous and peaceful era back then.

She left a sigh behind as the Bamboo Raft navigated the entire length of the river, following the current into the great waters.

She still had many places to go.

She would head further south, where she heard there was an ocean stretching endlessly out of sight; or perhaps travel further west, where she heard the Heavenly Mountain towered above, its pure white snow soothing the soul. She would visit the coast and watch the fishermen head out early and return late, braving the wind and rain on the open water.

Along the way, she had not gotten to know anyone.

Most likely, she just did not want to leave herself with any more attachments.

One year was not long, and two years was not short; she would reach the end eventually.

After wandering in a massive circle, she truly had nowhere left to go.

Slowly, she became somewhat sluggish, and her mind began to lose its clarity. It was like a person walking into a thick fog—growing gradually panicked at first, until only confusion remained in their eyes, before finally becoming completely lost in the mist.

Those in ghost cultivation were like this, and so were people.

It was just that people could still be saved, while ghosts could not.

What was a wandering soul or a wild ghost? They were those roaming spirits with no place to go, anchored to the Mortal World by lingering obsessions while their memories gradually faded. After a long time, their souls would either scatter entirely, or the resentment between heaven and earth would twist them into vengeful spirits or fierce ghosts that plagued the realm.

This was the ultimate destination for spirits of their kind.

The sun rose over the sea.

The light made Xianle's heart skip a beat. Driven by some inexplicable urge, she stood up.

She hesitated for a moment, then suddenly stepped forward, walking step by step toward the rising sun.

The nascent yang energy purged all ghostly and evil entities from the world.

A fisherman looked over. Dazzled by the morning sun, he raised a hand to block the glare. Through the gaps between his fingers, he saw the silhouette of a woman walking step by step into the ocean.

The fisherman was greatly alarmed and immediately shouted, "Miss! Miss! You can't go into the sea! You can't!"

Shouting, the fisherman ran toward her against the piercing glare of the rising sun.

He had only come to fish, never expecting to run into someone trying to end her own life. Thinking he had to save her if he could, he rushed over without a second thought.

But when he frantically reached the shore...

A wave crashed in. The fisherman stumbled and nearly fell onto the sand.

When he looked up again...

The fisherman froze.

The morning sun blurred his vision. He only saw that silhouette seeming to stand right in the center of the brilliant light.

A wisp of green smoke drifted upward. The silhouette seemed to burn to ashes within the radiant morning light, transforming into flying dust that scattered into the unknown on the sea breeze.

The fisherman rubbed his eyes, squinting through a narrow gap between his fingers.

Looking again, there was no longer anyone at the spot he had just been staring at...

All he could see was the calm, placid surface of the sea and the slowly rising sun.

The fisherman stood frozen in place.

The harpoon slipped from his hands.

He had likely never seen such a bizarre sight.

He took a deep breath and swam over. He groped around the area he had seen, diving under the water and looking around.

"Gasp..."

He poked his head out of the sea and shook the water from his hair.

When he raised his hand again, a Jade Pendant rested in his palm.

The fisherman stared blankly. Upon coming back to his senses, he hurriedly swam back to shore.

The Jade Pendant was exquisitely carved with an intricate phoenix pattern. A single red tassel was tied to its base, marking it as incredibly extraordinary.

Turning it over, he saw the character 'Yan' engraved in the corner of the Jade Pendant.

Startled, the fisherman hurriedly and carefully tucked the Jade Pendant away.

He looked left and right. Seeing that no one had noticed, he finally let out a sigh of relief.

The fisherman pursed his lips. The morning sun had now completely cleared the surface of the sea. He recalled that silhouette, knowing full well his eyes had not been playing tricks on him.

But...

Just who exactly was she?

And why did she leave so quietly?

The fisherman did not understand. Only later, when he recalled the event, he often wondered if what he had seen that day was truly human.

.

.

"Tock, tock, tock..."

The sound of a wooden fish echoed through Liuyun Temple.

A Daoist priest sat on a rush cushion, striking the wooden fish beneath the Zhenwu Divine Statue. Lord Zhenwu's palms were completely empty; instead, fragments of a sword rested on the altar table.

The priest was calm and composed, without the slightest trace of impatience. After finishing a complete recitation of the Supreme Rebirth Scriptures, he let out a long sigh of relief before beginning the next chapter.

That was until a sound came from outside the temple.

"Young Priest."

Tao'er had come to the temple alone.

The priest froze for a moment. He looked back, then cupped his hands in greeting. "Greetings, Laywoman Tao'er."

After all these years, the priest was no longer the young boy from back then. His mannerisms had grown slightly rigid, but he appeared much more dignified.

Tao'er had brought some items—some meat and vegetables, as well as some warm clothes. After setting them down, she asked, "Priest, you had someone call me up the mountain? Is there something you need to tell me?"

The priest paused before answering. "Master said that Laywoman Tao'er is an old friend of the temple. I am going down the mountain now, and I do not know when I will return. Without the offerings of incense and the nourishment of human presence for a long time, the temple will likely struggle to survive. So, I wanted to trouble you..."

Tao'er stared blankly. "You're going down the mountain, Young Priest?"

"Yes."

"After you go down the mountain, where will you go?"

"I don't know. Master told me to go down, so I am going down. It has already been delayed for far too long."

Tao'er did not say much else. She merely replied, "The world below the mountain is different from up here. The mortal realm is chaotic, and lives are as cheap as grass. Young Priest, you should prepare thoroughly for this trip. I happened to bring some food and clothing, so please take them with you."

The priest stepped forward and cupped his hands. "Thank you, Laywoman."

"It's nothing."

Tao'er smiled. "Go with peace of mind. I was always meant to take care of this temple anyway."

...

The priest went down the mountain, and once he left, he was nowhere to be seen.

Beside the official road, one could still faintly see a dilapidated ruin. Now, it was just blackened, rotting wood and dirt, overgrown with thick weeds.

This used to be a small tavern.

Tao'er watched long after the priest had disappeared from sight.

She then picked up the broom placed beside the temple and began slowly sweeping away the fallen leaves and dust inside.

Other plants and grasses had sprouted from the withered peach tree. Although the dead wood had perished, it now nourished other living things.

As Tao'er swept the temple, her thoughts gradually drifted away.

It felt as if she had returned to that vast, snowy day.

Just as silent as this.

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